And every offering of your grain offering shall you season with salt; neither shall you allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering: with all your offerings you shall offer salt.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Salt. In every sacrifice salt was to be used, which is an emblem of wisdom and discretion, without which none of our performances are agreeable to God. (Challoner)
Salt is not prescribed in the sacrifices of animals. But it was to be used in them, as we learn from the Jews, and from St. Mark ix. 48, Every victim shall be salted. The ancient poets never specify salt in their descriptions of sacrifices. But Pliny assures us, that in his time it was of the greatest authority, and always used in sacrifices, with cakes. Maxime in sacris intelligebatur salis auctoritas, quando nulla conficiuntur sine molâ salsâ. (B. xxxi. 7.)
Covenant. It is so called, because it was a symbol of the durable condition of the alliance with God, which was renewed in every sacrifice; (Calmet) or it may signify "the salt prescribed "by God: for the law and covenant are often used synonymously. (Menochius)
Let your speech be always in grace, seasoned with salt, Colossians iv. 6. See Numbers xviii. 19.
Salt is good, and every offering must be sprinkled with it. Therefore also the apostle has given the commandment: “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt.” But “if the salt have lost his savor,” it is cast out.
Hence in Leviticus every gift, unless it is seasoned with salt, is forbidden to be offered as an oblation to the Lord God. Now the whole spiritual meditation of the Scriptures is given to us as salt which stings in order to benefit and which disinfects. Without [this] it is impossible for a soul, by means of reason, to be brought to the Almighty; for “you are the salt of the earth,” said the Lord to the apostles.
Salt: In every sacrifice salt was to be used, which is an emblem of wisdom and discretion, without which none of our performances are agreeable to God.
